10 Ways Your Second Pregnancy May Be Different From Your First

Even though you’ve been there, birthed that, your second pregnancy might bring a few surprises in comparison with your first. From pregnancy symptoms to how long your labor lasts, here are a few of the most common differences.

So you’re pregnant with baby number two? Congrats! No need to read on, right? After all, you’ve been there, done that and know exactly what will happen to your body between now and that moment when you give your final push.

Not so fast. The truth is, you might not feel exactly the same this time around — and not just because you don’t have the same newbie nerves. It turns out there are a few ways in which a second pregnancy differs physiologically from a first one. Avoid any surprises by finding out just what’s in store over the next few months.

2. Some symptoms might seem less pronounced. On that note, some good news: You might notice that common woes like food aversions and breast enlargement seem less severe this time around. And you might also feel a bit less worried and more relaxed, too, since you’ve already been there, done that and lived to tell about it.

3. But you might be more tired. Just in case you hadn’t noticed, you’re already busy doing this whole mom thing, trying to meet the nonstop demands of your first. Who can nap when there’s Play-Doh to clean up off the floor and a command performance of The Very Hungry Caterpillar scheduled for right this second? Try these tips to feel more energized.

4. You might show sooner. Because your abdominal and uterine muscles stretched during your first pregnancy, they’re inevitably looser this time around. That means they don’t hold things in quite as firmly — so your bump will likely “pop” much sooner than the first time. Think of it this way: Your uterus is a bit like balloon that’s easier to blow up.

5. You might carry lower. Again, this is because your uterine muscles aren’t as firm as they once were, and also because baby number two (or three or four) is liable to be larger than your firstborn. (Another not-so-fun potential result: Potentially more back pain and other pregnancy aches.)

6. You might notice fetal movement sooner. Remember when those weird, bubbly, fluttery things in your first pregnancy had you reaching for the Tums because you assumed it was gas? Now you’ve wizened up and now know that was the baby moving. So by month 4 of this pregnancy, you’re more likely to be aware of the baby kicking (instead of closer to month 5 for first-timers). Chalk it up to experience and knowing what to expect.

7. Your Braxton-Hicks contractions might be different. You may deal with more noticeable or intense “false labor” contractions — or notice them sooner — in this pregnancy.

10. Breastfeeding might be easier. Of course this is partly due to the fact that you’ve done this before and therefore have a better idea of what to do now. But what you may not realize is that, according to one study, your body is physically primed to lactate: Changes in your mammary glands make them ready to more quickly deliver milk the second time.

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), as well as the What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.